'Government Cheese': Crafting a Fantastical Family Saga on Apple TV+

Los Angeles Times

7 days ago

On May 15, 2025, at The Culver Theater, Maira Garcia, television editor for the Los Angeles Times, moderated an insightful Q&A session delving into the unique world of Apple TV+'s 'Government Cheese.' The discussion featured Paul Hunter, the co-creator, writer and executive producer, and the series' star and executive producer, David Oyelowo, who shared the inspirations and creative processes behind the new show.
'Government Cheese' offers a vibrant and unconventional journey, born from Paul Hunter's desire to share something personal, drawing deeply from his own family experiences and upbringing. Transitioning from a celebrated career in music videos, Hunter brings this intimate narrative to the screen.
'I wanted to create the show to express something personal and tell the story about my family and my dad,' Hunter shared.
The story itself evolved significantly; what began as a feature film idea transformed into a compelling short film script. It was this short film that captured David Oyelowo's attention and convinced him to become involved in what would eventually become the series.
Oyelowo, an acclaimed actor, was immediately drawn to the series' quirky, fantastical tone and the unique opportunity to center Black characters in a way that is rarely seen on screen.
'I just hadn't read anything like this before,' Oyelowo said. 'It was so quirky, so weird, so fantastical, so surreal, but so relatable, so cinematic, so ambitious, all at the same time.'
He highlighted Hunter's vision to portray Black characters through an artistic lens often associated with filmmakers like Spike Jonze or Wes Anderson. 'It was Paul as well, just as a person, as a creative, his passion for the story,' Oyelowo explained.
The series establishes a strong sense of place, filmed in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley. This setting, Hunter emphasized, was crucial to ground the show's whimsical tone, describing Chatsworth as their 'Twin Peaks' and a visual anchor. The distinctive visual style supports a narrative eager to break stereotypes.
The characters, particularly the father figure Hampton (played by Oyelowo and inspired by Hunter's father), are intentionally portrayed as complex and flawed human beings. Hunter compared his on-screen family to the 'Addams Family,' aiming to 'capture who we were as a family and how normal we were, at least to us.'
Interwoven throughout the narrative are prominent religious and spiritual themes, notably Hampton's journey paralleling the biblical story of Jonah, alongside the symbolic use of animals, which adds another layer to the storytelling. 'I really related to this idea through Hampton of a complicated relationship with God,' Oyelowo noted. 'There is no faith without doubt.'
Music also plays an undeniable role in shaping the world of 'Government Cheese.' The show features a diverse soundtrack that reflects the personal experiences of its creators, with Hunter drawing from his eclectic childhood auditory landscape, blending artists like Elton John with Earth, Wind & Fire. This, along with a theme song by Pharrell Williams, underscores the show's distinctive rhythm.
Ultimately, 'Government Cheese' emerges from this discussion not just as a new series but as a vibrant testament to the power of personal storytelling and bold artistic vision in a crowded television landscape. With its heartfelt narrative and distinctive style, the show, as detailed by Hunter and Oyelowo, is poised to leave a memorable mark, inviting audiences into a world that is as wonderfully peculiar as it is profoundly human.